Prince Brings the Sexy with Two New Albums ‘ART OFFICIAL AGE’ and ‘PLECTRUMELECTRUM’

Gerry Doot

It’s been a while since the legendary Prince has dropped an album. Though, every few years the “Purple One” puts on some display to show that he is still not only relevant, but important. A few years ago he played a series of shows at LA’s Forum for $25 per seat. In 2009 he released a series of three albums, a massive amount of work that received mixed reviews. On September 30th Prince attempted to out-do himself again with a two album release from two different incarnations; “Art Official Age,” a futuristic, soulful solo effort with a play on words, and “Plectrumelectrum,” more of a rock collaboraton with his all girl band 3rdEyeGirl.

This really is a tale of two albums, one where Prince explores his classic side in a modern context and another where he jams with musicians he feels can handle his ability and leadership. There isn’t really a clear winner as they both have their ups and downs, but overall both albums prove to be worthwhile for the all Prince fans.

From the opening notes of “Art Official Age” it’s pretty clear that there is a heavy amount of throwback on the album. The intro track “Art Official Cage” is a bit of a comment on modern pop. In case the title of the album wasn’t obvious, it implies “artificial.” Prince puts himself above most modern pop, which makes it interesting when in the opening, almost title track there seems to be a healthy mix of his own style with current trends. There is a rap section as well as what sounds like a dub step breakdown, and a number of voice “tweaks” throughout the album that definitely add effect.

As the album progresses there is a lot more of what fans have come to expect from Prince. The song “Breakfast Can Wait” with lyrics such as “This here early morning, need something else on my plate, I think I want another bite of you, Breakfast can wait!” show off the sexy Prince we all crave. Though, not quite as dirty as he was in the late 80’s, it’s still brings us back to the sex driven Prince we love.

Though it’s tough to tell when Prince is being sincere, the track “Way Back Home” is a pretty touching sentiment. With his past and musical experimentation, he definitely has been on a winding path. It’s also a message that everyone can relate to. Some songs sound like Prince to the fullest extent, while others sound like him doing an impression of the pop stars who have made money doing Prince impressions. In the end, Prince fans will truly enjoy most of this album.

The other side of coin feels like a experiment that went pretty well. At times “PelectrumElectrum” sounds like Prince is saying “yeah I can do that” while listening to Gary Clark Jr., but overall the album is a blues rock jam session with elements of Prince’s classic funk groove. The reference to the classic Steely Dan album on “PretzelBodyLogic” really has nothing to do with the classic groove band, but it does hit hard and demand head bobbing.

As “PelectrumElectrum” moves on it’s necessary to be prepared for some ridiculous and amazing solo sections, and not just from the main man. The album is filled with bridges, solos, and transitions that wouldn’t be there if it were anyone else on any other album, but it’s acceptable when considering the project. Face melting guitar solos follow drum and bass trade-offs. Everyone gets a turn on this album which is why it’s special. It is more than just Prince showing off (which definitely happens) but instead seems to be a collaborative effort of a band jamming out and grooving.

The big stand outs are the title track “PelectrumElectrum,” and “FixUrLifeUp.” These both show off every musician’s talent on an album that is meant to do exactly that, and take the listener on a ride. Both are best heard while in need of a good face-melting solo.

A few tracks don’t really seem to fit the bill though, and they unfortunately might be the ones where 3rdEyeGirl get their chance to take over. “Boy Trouble” sounds like a mid-90’s R&B tune that got shelved. It just doesn’t quite hit the mark.

When artists put out two albums, they can usually be condensed into one really awesome record. That is the case with these two. With a little more refinement and trimming of the fat, they could both be an epic 12-16 track album. Regardless, Prince is and will always be one of the best artists on the planet. His new work is hit or miss, but the hits make it all worth it.

Prince will hold a live streaming album release party Tuesday through Live Nation and Yahoo.
‘Art Official Age’ and ‘PlectrumElectrum’ are available on iTunes, Spotify, Amazon, and at your local record store.